This invention relates generally to cooking devices, and more particularly to a barbecue assembly and rotisserie therefor.
A number of prior art devices are known which includes various features and components in conjunction with barbecuing foods. One such device is disclosed to Best in U.S. Pat. No. 4,321,857 which is directed to an infrared gas grill providing an upper oven and a lower grill area.
The Patent to Hente, U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,519, features an oven with over and under heat sources utilizing a radiant heat.
The invention in U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,258 to Berger teaches a barbecue unit that has two heat sources which facilitate both oven and grill cooking.
A broiler apparatus is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,317,441 to Berg which provides a vertical infrared cooking element and means for holding and cooking meat in an upright orientation.
The device in U.S. Pat. No. 4,878,424 invented by Adamson teaches a apparatus having a lower cooking platen and an upper cooking platen, the lower platen including an infrared heater for cooking.
Stewart has invented as described in U.S. Pat. No. RE24,296, an apparatus for infrared cooking which provides for optimal variable positioning of infrared cooking sources contained within trough-shaped upper and lower reflector elements which are hingedly connected one to another.
A barbecue grill is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,410 to Jung includes a variable-sized cooking chamber which adapts to the size of the foods to be cooked.
Best in U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,044 has invented an infrared gas grill which includes an infrared heating element spaced beneath the cooking surface by a plurality of angled baffles.
The present invention provides a barbecue cooking assembly which includes a unique drawer and elevator system allowing the cooking grid to be elevated within the main cooking chamber and/or independently withdrawn in drawer-type fashion to attend to the food being cooked. A unique rotisserie is also provided which allows for periodic attending to the food contained on the rotisserie spit without having to handle either cooking food or rotisserie components within the main cooking chamber of the assembly.